SANDWICH, Kent, a cinque-port, market-town, and municipal and parliamentary borough, is situated on the right bank of the river Stour, in 51 16' N. lat., 1' 20' E. long., distant. 12 miles E. from Canterbury, 674 miles E. by S. from London, and 93 miles by the South-Eastern railway. It is governed by 4 aldermen and 12 council lors, one of whom is mayor; and, In conjunction with Deal and Weimer, returns two members to the Imperial Parliament The population of the borough In 1851 was 2966. The livings are in the arelateacoury and diocese of Canterbury.
Sandwich was early a place of importance, and is an original member of the Cinque Porte. It probably arose out of the decay of the Roman Rittipm. [KENT.) The name Sondwio occurs as early as 665. Canute landed here in 1016 and in 1029. In the time of !leery III. the town was burnt by the French. In the reign of Henry VI. the French took and pluodered the town three times. In course of time the harbour became choked up with sand, and the town declined. In tho reign of Elizabeth it revived by the settle ment of Flemish refugees, who introduced the manufacture of baize and other woollens, and cultivated the neighbouring lands for vegetable., flax, sod canary-seed. Sandwich has returned two members to Parliament !duce the 42nd Edward III.
The town stands in the marsh lands which border on the Isle of Thatiet, about two miles from Pegwell Bay, into which the Stour discharges itself. It is paved, lighted with gas, and supplied with water. A part of the town wall, and one of the gates, called Fisher gate, on the north aide of the town are still standing. The Stour is here crossed by a stone-bridge, which has in the middle a swing-bridge to allow the age of vessels. St. Clement's church is a massive building, consisting of a nave and two aisles, a chancel, and a tower rising above the centre of the church. The tower is of Norman
architecture, supported by four semicircular arches with massive piers, and is built of Coen stone. There are two other churches of the establishment, and chapels for Independents, Wesleyan Methodists, and Baptists. A Grammar school, founded in Elizabeth's reign, has two exhibitions at Lincolu college, Oxford, which however are not claimed, and the school is at present without scholars. There are National schools for boys and girls. The hospital of St. Bartholomew is an ancient almshouse, with an income of 800/. for 16 inmates, who must be decayed tradesmen of the town, or the widows of such. It has a small chapel of early English date, with lancet windows. There are two other almshouses, or hospitals. The Guildhall was built in the time of Elizabeth. The jail is a well built and commodious modern building. There are assembly-rootiiis and a customhouse. The port extends from the North Foreland southward to Sandown Castle, and seaward as far as the line of Goodwin Sands, having juriediction as a Cinque Port over Fordwieh, Sarre, Ramsgate, Deal, 'Wilmer, and Stoner. Only small vessels can come up to the town. There is a considerable import of timber, iron, and coal ; and corn, flour, malt, seeds, hope, fruit, bark, leather, ashes, and wood, are exported, chiefly to Loudon. Ship-building, tanning, and wool-sorting are carried on. A corn-market is held every Wednesday, a cattle-market on alternate Mondays, a pleasure fair on December 4th. A county court is held. Near Sandwich are the remains of a Roman amphi theatre, 210 feet in diameter.